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I really do appreciate the ambition and sincerity behind the show's desire to give us deep character drama, but I have to wonder at the method being deployed here.

Having characters basically spill the beans in such a straightforward manner is never going to give us enough emotional involvement. It's hard to feel for Inaba and Iori's issues when they're basically just told to us and never really shown. It just ends up feeling Informed and even Miyuki Sawashiro can't change that.

I did love Taichi's "confession" though. Inaba's "confession" was just icing on the cake...

Two episodes to solve every girls problem (so far -- the PV looks like more problems are afoot). And two of them involved his genitals. Taichi is like a VN hero on steroids.

As for the PV for next week ...

Spoiler for Speculation:

... looks like Iori attempts suicide. Now if I, sadistic bastard that I am, were writing the story, I'd have her switch wtih Yui or Aoki in mid fall. Think about it -- not only does she end up riddled with guilt over a friend's death, but she has to spend her life as someone else.

I admit that I expected Taichi's secret to be something else. Especially after he said that he would be rejected by society for it. To be honest, I expected something involving that little sister of his. Have I been watching too much anime??

I admit that I expected Taichi's secret to be something else. Especially after he said that he would be rejected by society for it. To be honest, I expected something involving that little sister of his. Have I been watching too much anime??

As soon as that scene started I saw that the only thing that would be coming out of it would be a joke and nothing more.

This episode completely shattered the hopes I had for this show: for a while there I saw a glimpse of potential for something amazing from this, a hint that maybe (just maybe) there was a great story lurking beneath the cliché school-life drama but this 4th episode was proof I was just getting my hopes up for nothing and we'll get an above average harem show at best.

Taichi is moving deeper into Touma territory by being so amazingly selfless and without a fault to be seen for miles. If he keeps going any further could be nominated for sainthood! Also: the supposed comical scenes of the show just keep on coming out flat most of the time.

That particular scene with Iori cracking a joke before spilling the beans lacked so much emotion that I was hard pressed to find any attachment to the character. I was at first tempted to fault the key animator for not having the ability (or most likely the budget) to properly convey the emotions and movements required for the scene but latter on the show it became clear that it's a mix of that with the director not having that final extra that would raise those scenes above the average that they are and a source material that is either equally lacklustre or is being followed to the letter without much regard to the medium transition.

I'm not usually one to notice so many failings on a show and maybe it's just me but I truly think that those were the main failings on this episode in particular but also on the whole show in general. The comedy elements are coming across as so average (and sometimes even dull) that I don't even react to them, it's a true shame.

On a more positive note the seiyuu have been doing an absolutely amazing work in this show and both the opening and ending credits are absolutely fantastic along with the visuals for the latter one. And overall the show is still quite a bit above average so I'm not dropping it any time soon. At least there's that.

PS: btw, the next episode seems to deal with the jump seen on the second PV going by the preview on the current weeks episode.

The confessions... XDDDDD I had to stop and re-watch that part a few times just to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Anyway, I'm not always happy with the way this show handles some things, but it's fairly good. And I'm happy that the problems this show introduces are realistic. So is Iori's problem. Though some people have a strong sense of who they are, some of us are not so lucky. I had to deal (well, I'm still dealing) with the same problem. Adapting to other people and losing the sense of who you are is, well, not a nice feeling. And it's rather common too. So I'm glad this show brings problems like these up

I admire the fact that Kokoro Connect is setting its sights higher than its competition in many respects. This is a show that’s really trying to tell a serious story, and to craft something that’s both plot and character-driven into a cohesive whole. It isn’t just trying to be fun, or funny, or create a whimsical and relaxing atmosphere of innocent times at school. But the downside to that is that there are times when the show’s reach exceeds its grasp, and this week was definitely rife with examples.

I found the "confessions" to be totally false and artificial - for the most part the situation with Yui last week felt natural and dramatic, but this never moved past the actors reading their lines. They were also way, way too self-aware for most adults, never mind teenagers. The format was also a problem - it had a very "Now, it's Inaba's turn!" feel to it.

I'm also quite dismayed at the gender stereotyping that this episode seems to be setting up. That kind of stuff is one thing for a silly harem comedy, but for a show that has aspirations to be a serious character drama it's totally unacceptable. So the girls are all tortured souls dealing with deep personal traumas. And we have one guy in Aoki who's a straight-up buffoon, and the other who's been set up as a father-confessor who's go-to approach to dealing with deep emotional issues is his junk. Seriously?

I really, really liked episodes 2-3 here - but this one had some serious warts. It's not likely the show is going to step back from the serious issues, so the only hope is that it regains its footing in dealing with them. And getting past the insulting gender stereotypes would be a good start.

It is easy to follow a set of rules or simply follow the orders. By simply analyzing a person and portraying a persona that they preferred and by creating more persona Iori lost "true" herself and that is kinda cliche for a acting genre
Because of that Iori simply lost herself for a long time.

I admire the fact that Kokoro Connect is setting its sights higher than its competition in many respects. This is a show that’s really trying to tell a serious story, and to craft something that’s both plot and character-driven into a cohesive whole. It isn’t just trying to be fun, or funny, or create a whimsical and relaxing atmosphere of innocent times at school. But the downside to that is that there are times when the show’s reach exceeds its grasp, and this week was definitely rife with examples.

I found the "confessions" to be totally false and artificial - for the most part the situation with Yui last week felt natural and dramatic, but this never moved past the actors reading their lines. They were also way, way too self-aware for most adults, never mind teenagers. The format was also a problem - it had a very "Now, it's Inaba's turn!" feel to it.

I'm also quite dismayed at the gender stereotyping that this episode seems to be setting up. That kind of stuff is one thing for a silly harem comedy, but for a show that has aspirations to be a serious character drama it's totally unacceptable. So the girls are all tortured souls dealing with deep personal traumas. And we have one guy in Aoki who's a straight-up buffoon, and the other who's been set up as a father-confessor who's go-to approach to dealing with deep emotional issues is his junk. Seriously?

I really, really liked episodes 2-3 here - but this one had some serious warts. It's not likely the show is going to step back from the serious issues, so the only hope is that it regains its footing in dealing with them. And getting past the insulting gender stereotypes would be a good start.

I kinda think that's the whole point. They are TOO self-aware for normal teenagers, and they simply don't have the right mentality or maturity to handle it, eventually leading to a break down. Simply put, these kids are overreacting over things that are trivial in most of our eyes (minus the attempted-rape trauma), when they are expected to be enjoying life as every other teenagers would do.

In a way it kinda makes sense why Heartseed find them "amusing". Their 5-men club is pretty much a collection of "odd-one-out" and their mentality is simply... weird, compared to other normal kids. You'd think each of the main cast have their own eccentricity/weirdness for Heartseed's "lolz meter".

As amusing as Taichi and Inaba's confessions were, I have do have to agree with some of the posters that usual harem cliche of all the girls going after one guy does get a bit old after a while.

As for an idea for a potential fanfic (or really, they should have made an anime of this) that could have some amusing, but mostly consist of more serious drama, with a (seriously) darker and edgier tone:

Kokoro Connect: Global

Basically, the cast of Kokoro Connect end up as part of a wide body switching phenomenon between people around the world, including North America (either, or possibly both US and Canada), various European (UK, France or Germany, Russia) and Asian countries (I'll probably include some one from China and/or India), and a war-torn Middle Eastern or African country, possibly for the point of view of a teenage ex-child soldier forced to constantly flee... or kill to survive.

I would probably include at least two people in each location, so that the characters on opposite ends of the world can "talk to each other" (I was planning to have them to swap not only conciousness, but also knowledge of each other's language).

I'm afraid I might not get around to writing this, what with all my other ideas... Definitely won't be for a while as I'll be out of town for a couple weeks starting tomorrow. Why do the plot bunnies keep hopping around in my head!?

Though I am tempted to do one at least featuring the canon cast and the African/Middle Eastern ex-child soldier, I suspect having Iori end up in the hot seat first (have fun!?). Will Iori survive in a country where you are hunted down day and night, and forced to kill or die? Will they make it through with their sanity intact? And will our African friend keep his sanity in a situation he can't shoot or run his way out of?

And before you ask, no, I do not hate Iori. I just chose her as she would probably be the least prepared. Naturally, Taichi, Yui, Aoki, and Inaban will end up there as well, with Inaban's trust no one attitude proving itself an asset for once and Taichi, will naturally play the role of the "selfless freak" as usual...

I kinda think that's the whole point. They are TOO self-aware for normal teenagers, and they simply don't have the right mentality or maturity to handle it, eventually leading to a break down. Simply put, these kids are overreacting over things that are trivial in most of our eyes (minus the attempted-rape trauma), when they are expected to be enjoying life as every other teenagers would do.

In a way it kinda makes sense why Heartseed find them "amusing". Their 5-men club is pretty much a collection of "odd-one-out" and their mentality is simply... weird, compared to other normal kids. You'd think each of the main cast have their own eccentricity/weirdness for Heartseed's "lolz meter".

I don't find the "5 Dads" thing especially trivial at all - it's very drama of the week for me. And the huge gap in seriousness between the three girls (to some extent excluding Inaba, who really is overstating her own problems) and the guys is pretty exasperating.

I just finished the episode not to long ago, and wow, Himeko is so pervy that it's really amusing and at the same time unexpected because she doesn't look the type to tell someone her "personal activities" in a sexual pretext. She's just totally awesome!

Anyway, I really like the whole take on Iori and Himeko's conflicted issues on a internal and external interpersonal level. Iori seems to have "identity" issues because of her mothers marriages and divorces, and acting the way that she thinks that she should act to avoid unnecessary family drama. Himeko has trouble trusting others, but is willing to help and converse with others like nothing is happening, to the point where it's hurting her both physically and mentality. It still seems that she's still pushy when it comes to Tachi and Iori... I wonder if this'll come back to bite her later.

Still have to give Taichi props for sharing his most troublesome secret with Himeko because it seemed like it was going to be something serious, but something totally off and unexpected.: Yeah, what a really "magical" and interesting character to say something out of place and have it work in his favor.

I don't find the "5 Dads" thing especially trivial at all - it's very drama of the week for me. And the huge gap in seriousness between the three girls (to some extent excluding Inaba, who really is overstating her own problems) and the guys is pretty exasperating.

It's kind of ironic because the anime that I find myself comparing this to the most is Ano Hana and that was the exact opposite: All the guys were screwed up whilst the girls were relatively more sane. But Ano Hana didn't have any white knight selflessly helping everyone. They all got over their own problems through the shared goal of helping another.

I can't say I'm annoyed that it seems to be a a very typical set up similar to a harem VN, but there is definitely room for improvement. I suppose I'm just somewhat more optimistic because there are hints that they plan to give Taichi more depth and I'm also optimistic that there will actually be an interesting romance between Yui and the clown (I can't even remember his name).

Ugh. This episode made me choke, and not in a good way. That awful "tell don't show" came back in this episode and the dialogue is so badly written that it killed whatever good feelings I had for this show. It's that awful self-aware dialogue that no adult, let alone a teenager, would say, that you'd find in a Joss Whedon work. And the dialogue isn't even good by those standards. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

Main thoughts were similar to what Guardian Enzo said.
Just too much worrying and felt like the show was trying too hard to be dramatic.
The father thing was on the border-line of "Hah?!", but then we get to Miyukichi's character suddenly talking about not believing anyone and that weird stuff. Now that was boring, enough to make me lose my focus on the show. What was it called in Japanese, 厨二病?

So in general, despite there being plenty of development, it wasn't a particularly interesting episode.
And it looks like the girls will continue being drama queens in the next?

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-R.I.P. Hiroshi Yamauchi, Gaming wouldn't have been the same without you (9/19/13)